Nonwoven fabric or sheet material is commonly employed in a variety of applications as a substitute for cloth such as diapers, towels, tissues, wipes, medical drapes and the like. Made from various combinations of synthetic and natural fibers and filaments, nonwoven fabric is highly versatile in terms of the properties which can be obtained to satisfy the needs of a particular application. Regardless of the end use of the material, it is important that the nonwoven fabric simulate the “hand” or feel and other performance characteristics of woven materials such as cloth in order to gain consumer acceptance.
In some instances, it is desirable to provide a sheet material having at least one textured or roughened surface for scrubbing. In the particular application of a facial wipe, for example, the roughened surface of the wipe can be utilized to exfoliate dead skin cells. Once these cells are removed, a smooth, soft surface is needed to wipe the skin clean.
Woven sheet materials are commonly knitted with textured or roughened surfaces which can be used to scrub the skin. One limitation of the process for forming a woven sheet or fabric is that both sides of the finished article, e.g., a washcloth, have the same texture. As such, no smooth surface is available to wipe the skin clean after exfoliation.
As noted above, nonwoven webs or fabric sheets can be formed to simulate the characteristics of woven fabric. A textured or roughened surface can be applied to a web of nonwoven fabric using a calendar roller, a hydroentangling sleeve or other techniques. Although similar to the feel of a woven cloth, it has been found that textured surfaces conventionally formed on nonwoven fabrics tend to deform or flatten out when pressure is applied, particularly when wet. If used as a facial wipe to scrub the skin, conventional nonwoven fabrics with one or more textured surfaces are likely to quickly deform and become ineffective to properly exfoliate the skin. Additionally, nonwoven fabrics are not readily available with a roughened or textured surface on one side and a smooth, soft surface on the opposite side.